Dispensing containers of the so called blister card type have gained widespread use for packaging and displaying relatively small articles such as pen cartridges or other small parts. Typically, these containers are of a two piece construction and comprise a small sheet of paperstock forming a card, and a transparent sheet of plastic film which is thermoformed into an open topped receptacle or "blister" which is filled with product and then bonded by any of various means to one face of the card which forms a closure wall over the receptacle. The card usually is provided with an aperture therein to allow the container to be hung in a display arrangement and also is often provided with a perforated scored section adjacent the plastic receptacle to allow the ultimate user to gain easy access to the packaged articles without the need for tearing the blister away from the card. Once the scored section is broken by a user, however, the resulting access opening in the container remains open to some extent and may result in some of the packaged articles being lost when the container is stored during periods of non use. Because the costs of a packaging container of the type described above are often relatively high in comparison to the value of the packaged articles, prior art approaches to providing lockable closure means for closing blister cards have not been employed due to the additional costs and/or complexity which would result. Consequently, there is a need in the packaging art for a blister card construction which includes an effective, inexpensive lockable closing means but yet which allow easy opening of the container.
The present invention satisfies the need mentioned above by providing an easy opening, recloseable blister card construction which is both simple and economical in terms of fabrication costs. The container of the present invention comprises a card portion formed from a blank comprising a single sheet of paper stock, and a receptacle portion thermoformed from a single sheet of plastic which is bonded to one face of the card to form a packaging enclosure. The card includes an access opening therein, in registration with the receptacle, which is defined by a rectangular closure flap having one edge thereof joined by a fold line to the panel. The closure flap includes a locking tab integral therewith defined by an arcuate cut line which is hinged along a crease line in the closure flap and may be pivoted into overlapping relationship with an edge of the plastic receptacle on the other side of the card to lock the closure flap in a closed position covering the access opening. A grip tab formed integral with the locking tab enables a user to initially tear the closure flap away from the card along the score lines and also provides a means of manipulating the locking tab to lock the closure flap in the closed position.